In the medical field, it is common practice for medication to be provided in a vial. The medication is transferred from the vial to an injector (e.g., a syringe, auto-injector, jet injector, and so forth) for subsequent injection into a patient. In some cases, the medication is provided in a liquid solution in the sealed vial, while in other cases it is provided in a solid form (e.g., powder). Generally, when provided in solid form, a solvent (e.g., water) is inserted into the vial to dissolve the medication. The liquid medication is extracted out of the vial into an injector for injection into a patient.
A typical vial is sealed with a stopper that can have sidewalk extending down the inside walls of a neck portion of the vial. The side wall geometry and thickness can vary depending on the nature of the drug including but not limited to drugs which are in powder form that require a solvent for dissolution. Conventionally, a hollow spike is been implemented to provide fluid communication with the contents of the vial. In particular, the hollow spike punctures the stopper to insert and/or extract liquid from the vial. Occasionally, however, when attempting to puncture the stopper, the Spike 118 may inadvertently enter into a sidewall of the stopper, preventing or limiting liquid communication with the contents of the vials, depending on the orientation of the opening to draw the fluid from the vial into the spike.
Additionally, as conventional spikes are pushed through rubber stoppers, the rubber stoppers are often stretched, torn, or cut by the spike. In some cases portions of the stopper may enter into the hollow spike and may even core the stopper resulting in obstruction of liquid flow from the vial.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,254,106 discloses a needle that includes a slot that extends along the sidewalk of the needle. Similarly, U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2006/0266431 discloses a needle with slots in the sidewall. U.S. Pat. No. 4,411,661 and U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2007/0179506 disclose a spike with a slot that extends from a conical tip on its sidewalk. U.S. Pat. No. 7,150,735 discloses a spike with one or more openings in a beveled surface. All of these patent documents are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.